History
The GWR locomotive standardisation policy pursued by G.J. Churchward envisaged a range of locomotive classes which would be suitable for the majority of duties, and yet which would share a small number of standard components. Amongst the designs suggested in 1901 was a 4-6-0 with 5-foot-8-inch (1.73 m) diameter coupled wheels, and the Standard No. 1 boiler. Although planned in 1901, none were built until 1936, by which time C.B. Collett was in charge at Swindon. He took the Churchward proposal, and modified the design of the cab and controls to the then current style.
The 4300 Class of 2-6-0 tender locomotives had been introduced in 1911, and by 1932 there were 342 in service. With train loads and hence weights rising, these smaller, older and less powerful locomotives were scheduled to be replaced by new 4-6-0 locomotives by the 1930s.
The Granges were effectively a smaller-wheeled version of the GWR Hall Class. The GWR also built a lighter version of the Granges, the GWR 7800 Class, known as the Manor Class, which had smaller boilers. Between 1936 and 1939, 100 of the 4300 Class were taken out of service, and stripped of their parts at Swindon Works. The initial plan was to rebuilt 80 as the 6800 Grange class, whilst the remaining 20 were of the 7800 Manor class. It had eventually been intended to replace all of the 4300 Class in this way in three batches, with the next Grange due to be built No. 6880 Betton Grange, to be named after the manor house in the Shropshire hamlet of Betton Strange. But the onset of Second World War stopped the programme.
The wheels, valve motion and tenders of the Grange were taken from the withdrawn engines, reconditioned and then used in the construction of the 100 new locomotives; with the components from one old locomotive spread amongst more than one of the new engines. The cylinders of both the Granges and Manors were of the same size as those used on the 4300 Class, but the old cylinders could not be re-used because the cylinders and valves shared a common casting, and the new design called for the separation between cylinder and valve centre lines to be increased by 21⁄2 inches (64 mm). This was done in order to make the cylinders level with the axles, but still allow the use of the old valve motion parts.
The 6800 class had driving wheels of 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m) diameter, four inches smaller than those of the Hall class. However, as their cylinders were of the same size and the two classes shared the Swindon No. 1 boiler, the Grange had a tractive effort 1,600 lb greater than the Hall. Hence, with their power and mixed traffic characteristics, the Grange locomotives could handle most duties on the network. The British Railways power classification of the Grange class was 5MT, its GWR power class was D and its route availability colour code was red. In service they were reliable performers.
The last of the Grange class was withdrawn in 1965, and none were preserved.
Read more about this topic: GWR 6800 Class 6880 Betton Grange
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